She was born here at home and everything went super awesome with her. I was only in active labor for 3 1/2, 4 hours. So, total, I was probably in labor less than 12 hours, which is amazing!

We think I went into labor around 9:00 on Sunday night. We did Hypnobabies, so I tried to use those techniques throughout the labor. We called Mary Anne, our midwife, several times to check in with her between 9:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. I was having waves of about 30 seconds and 7-10 minutes apart. I was trying to lie down in bed and do my breathing, "Peace," etc., but it was extremely hard not to get up and move around when a pressure wave came. Finally, I left Keith in bed and went out to our den to sit in a recliner with a heating pad. I just concentrated really hard on breathing through each wave, telling myself to "Relax," and remembering to release the tension in my body. I dozed off and on between waves.

Around 5:00/5:30 a.m., my pressure waves began to change. They got more intense, but not really longer or closer together. I kept thinking "longer, stronger, faster." But I didn't think they were anything but stronger, so I probably wasn't really in active labor yet. In my head, I thought, I can't do this if I'm not even in active labor yet and it feels like this! But I kept reminding myself that I could and what I wanted for the birth of our child. Well, I got Keith up around 6:00 a.m. to start timing me again. My waves were now 45-50 seconds, but still 7ish minutes apart.

We called Mary Anne, our midwife, to come over, and she arrived around 7:15 a.m. Oh, and we were playing our "early birthing time" Hypnobabies CD while waiting. Little did we know... As soon as she arrived and checked me, she announced that she felt a head! She and Keith started running around the house like organized crazy people! I was walking around at this point, because I couldn't stay still. My favorite position was not the birth ball like I thought it would be (or the tub that never got filled or used!), but leaning forward against the back of a chair or our dresser and swaying from side to side. When I got to the pushing stage, I wasn't really consciously thinking Hypnobabies, but every time a pressure wave started, I reminded myself "open, open, open,", say "Ahhhhh" real low (I could hear my voice getting higher), and "relax, relax," to release the tension in my shoulders, back and bottom. My water finally broke, and I wound up giving birth to Bronwyn standing up in our bedroom, with Mary Anne on the floor to catch, and Keith doing the abdominal lift behind me to relieve the pressure on my back. He felt her move down and out as she was being born. It was pretty amazing.

Unfortunately, I did wind up having to transfer to the hospital by ambulance. We got about 30 beautiful minutes with Bronwyn at my breast in our bed, until the placenta came. Unfortunately, not all of the placenta came. And what did come, came with a lot of blood. There were membranes left in my uterus and my uterus wouldn't start contracting again. Mary Anne started shooting me up with drugs and manually massaging my uterus while her assistant and I called 911. They were both amazing; I cannot even brag on our midwife enough. I went to the hospital and had a D & C done. I spent one night at the hospital, and Bronwyn stayed with me. I was admitted, but she never was, which was great.

Really loved the home birth experience! Disappointed that I had to go to the hospital, but none of us could have predicted it. And I truly had no idea that was about to have a baby until the last hour. I mean, I knew I was in labor, but the pain/discomfort/sensations were completely manageable and only got difficult when it came to the end and pushing. And that was finally a relief!

So sorry that you had to transfer- how were you treated at the hospital?

Otherwise, it sounds like you had a great first birth experience, congrats! It sounds a lot like my first birth- didn't even think I was in labor almost until pushing! This last one was a bit more intense, though.

Congrats! We also had a home birth and had to transfer after the birth for the baby. She was breathing a little fast, it wasn't an emergency and we stayed home for about 7 hours after the birth but I know how much of a bummer it is to go to the hospital when you planned such a relaxing time at home post partum.

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Mommy to Fiona 12/09 and new baby Layla 3/12 a HBAC!

Congratulations! I had a very fast birth with my third and my midwife really wanted me drinking RRL tea this time to help my uterus contract as a fast birth can have trouble that way. Just to keep in mind for next time- lots of RRL tea! Not that you can ever predict how labor will go though, lol!

We were treated really well. My midwife's backup/consulting physician is the head of the ob/gyn department at one of the local hospitals. We transferred via ambulance directly to the women's emergency center rather than the regular ER. My husband and I had met the doctor before - Dr. Wilters at Centennial Hospital in Nashville. He was super nice and very supportive of our midwife. He was there when I arrived and joking that I put some extra gray hairs on my midwife's head.

Anyway, the staff was also great. They back up several midwives here in the middle TN area, I believe, so I think the atmosphere is more supportive at this particular hospital. I'm sure having the head of the ob/gyn department being in favor of midwives and home delivery helps.

Congrats! We also had a home birth and had to transfer after the birth for the baby. She was breathing a little fast, it wasn't an emergency and we stayed home for about 7 hours after the birth but I know how much of a bummer it is to go to the hospital when you planned such a relaxing time at home post partum.

It was a small bummer, but I was still super glad that her birth itself went so well and I was able to do it naturally. Hope you're enjoying your little one, too!

Congratulations! I had a very fast birth with my third and my midwife really wanted me drinking RRL tea this time to help my uterus contract as a fast birth can have trouble that way. Just to keep in mind for next time- lots of RRL tea! Not that you can ever predict how labor will go though, lol!

Interesting - I didn't know that hemorrhaging could be a problem with fast births. Funny thing - my midwife did have me drinking RRL tea and taking several other herbal supplements as well. Oh well, like you said, you can never predict - and maybe I didn't drink enough!